Dalmatia embraces technology as Shift Split opens in Croatia

Split
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The latest innovation conference in Dalmatia opens in Split, as imminent EU entry brings more start-up possibilities to the region.

After the success of last year's Startup Live Split innovation conference, its rebranded successor Shift Split opens in the Dalmatian capital on May 22, 2013, an event endorsed by the regional tourist board.

The three-day conference will be held in the Gallery of Fine Arts in Split under the working title of three days of "Inspiration Networking and Awesomeness". The opening day will be closed to the public as 32 start-ups will pitch their ideas to a jury of investors and journalists where inspiring entrepreneurs can gain valuable connections. The winner of this start-up challenge takes home US$ 10,000.

Central Dalmatia Tourist Board director Joško Stella, who attended the press conference on Monday, said: "We are also using new technologies in the promotion of Dalmatia as a destination. Praise young people for organizing such an event and it is our desire that as many visitors come to the conference in the pre-season. Why do not we in the near future become a center for start-up in this part of Europe?" The conference comes just a couple of weeks before another new major start-up conference takes place on the island of Hvar, as previously reported by Digital Journal.

Last year's winners - a Wi-Fi content delivery platform (see video above) - are currently in Bulgaria in a business inclubator for three months, having won venture capital funding, as previously reported on Digital Journal.

The support of the tourist board is another sign of its policy of embracing social media and social networking in recent months, including the launch of a Youtube channel which has attracted almost half a million views from just three videos, including Hvar Timeline Stairs, which was the most popular Croatia travel video on Youtube for the month of December.